round the moon-第23章

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will　continue　its　elliptical　course；　to　gravitate　forever　around
the　orb　of　night。〃

〃A　revolution　not　at　all　consoling；〃　said　Michel；　〃to　pass　to
the　state　of　humble　servants　to　a　moon　whom　we　are　accustomed　to
look　upon　as　our　own　handmaid。　　So　that　is　the　fate　in　store　for　us？〃

Neither　Barbicane　nor　Nicholl　answered。

〃You　do　not　answer；〃　continued　Michel　impatiently。

〃There　is　nothing　to　answer；〃　said　Nicholl。

〃Is　there　nothing　to　try？〃

〃No；〃　answered　Barbicane。　　〃Do　you　pretend　to　fight　against
the　impossible？〃

〃Why　not？　　Do　one　Frenchman　and　two　Americans　shrink　from　such
a　word？〃

〃But　what　would　you　do？〃

〃Subdue　this　motion　which　is　bearing　us　away。〃

〃Subdue　it？〃

〃Yes；〃　continued　Michel；　getting　animated；　〃or　else　alter　it；
and　employ　it　to　the　accomplishment　of　our　own　ends。〃

〃And　how？〃

〃That　is　your　affair。　　If　artillerymen　are　not　masters　of　their
projectile　they　are　not　artillerymen。　　If　the　projectile　is　to
command　the　gunner；　we　had　better　ram　the　gunner　into　the　gun。
My　faith！　fine　savants！　who　do　not　know　what　is　to　become　of　us
after　inducing　me〃

〃Inducing　you！〃　cried　Barbicane　and　Nicholl。　　〃Inducing　you！
What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃

〃No　recrimination；〃　said　Michel。　　〃I　do　not　complain；　the　trip
has　pleased　me；　and　the　projectile　agrees　with　me；　but　let　us　do
all　that　is　humanly　possible　to　do　the　fall　somewhere；　even　if
only　on　the　moon。〃

〃We　ask　no　better；　my　worthy　Michel；〃　replied　Barbicane；　〃but
means　fail　us。〃

〃We　cannot　alter　the　motion　of　the　projectile？〃

〃No。〃

〃Nor　diminish　its　speed？〃

〃No。〃

〃Not　even　by　lightening　it；　as　they　lighten　an　overloaded　vessel？〃

〃What　would　you　throw　out？〃　said　Nicholl。　　〃We　have　no　ballast
on　board；　and　indeed　it　seems　to　me　that　if　lightened　it　would
go　much　quicker。〃

〃Slower。〃

〃Quicker。〃

〃Neither　slower　nor　quicker；〃　said　Barbicane；　wishing　to　make
his　two　friends　agree；　〃for　we　float　is　space；　and　must　no
longer　consider　specific　weight。〃

〃Very　well；〃　cried　Michel　Ardan　in　a　decided　voice；　〃then　their
remains　but　one　thing　to　do。〃

〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Nicholl。

〃Breakfast；〃　answered　the　cool；　audacious　Frenchman；　who　always
brought　up　this　solution　at　the　most　difficult　juncture。

In　any　case；　if　this　operation　had　no　influence　on　the
projectile's　course；　it　could　at　least　be　tried　without
inconvenience；　and　even　with　success　from　a　stomachic　point
of　view。　　Certainly　Michel　had　none　but　good　ideas。

They　breakfasted　then　at　two　in　the　morning；　the　hour　mattered　little。
Michel　served　his　usual　repast；　crowned　by　a　glorious　bottle　drawn
from　his　private　cellar。　　If　ideas　did　not　crowd　on　their　brains；
we　must　despair　of　the　Chambertin　of　1853。　　The　repast　finished；
observation　began　again。　　Around　the　projectile；　at　an　invariable
distance；　were　the　objects　which　had　been　thrown　out。　　Evidently；　in
its　translatory　motion　round　the　moon；　it　had　not　passed　through
any　atmosphere；　for　the　specific　weight　of　these　different　objects
would　have　checked　their　relative　speed。

On　the　side　of　the　terrestrial　sphere　nothing　was　to　be　seen。
The　earth　was　but　a　day　old；　having　been　new　the　night　before　at
twelve；　and　two　days　must　elapse　before　its　crescent；　freed　from
the　solar　rays；　would　serve　as　a　clock　to　the　Selenites；　as　in
its　rotary　movement　each　of　its　points　after　twenty…four　hours
repasses　the　same　lunar　meridian。

On　the　moon's　side　the　sight　was　different；　the　orb　shone　in　all
her　splendor　amid　innumerable　constellations；　whose　purity　could
not　be　troubled　by　her　rays。　　On　the　disc；　the　plains　were
already　returning　to　the　dark　tint　which　is　seen　from　the　earth。
The　other　part　of　the　nimbus　remained　brilliant；　and　in　the　midst
of　this　general　brilliancy　Tycho　shone　prominently　like　a　sun。

Barbicane　had　no　means　of　estimating　the　projectile's　speed；　but
reasoning　showed　that　it　must　uniformly　decrease；　according　to
the　laws　of　mechanical　reasoning。　　Having　admitted　that　the
projectile　was　describing　an　orbit　around　the　moon；　this　orbit
must　necessarily　be　elliptical；　science　proves　that　it　must　be　so。
No　motive　body　circulating　round　an　attracting　body　fails　in
this　law。　　Every　orbit　described　in　space　is　elliptical。　　And　why
should　the　projectile　of　the　Gun　Club　escape　this　natural　arrangement？
In　elliptical　orbits；　the　attracting　body　always　occupies　one　of
the　foci；　so　that　at　one　moment　the　satellite　is　nearer；　and　at
another　farther　from　the　orb　around　which　it　gravitates。　　When　the
earth　is　nearest　the　sun　she　is　in　her　perihelion；　and　in　her
aphelion　at　the　farthest　point。　　Speaking　of　the　moon；　she　is
nearest　to　the　earth　in　her　perigee；　and　farthest　from　it　in
her　apogee。　　To　use　analogous　expressions；　with　which　the
astronomers'　language　is　enriched；　if　the　projectile　remains
as　a　satellite　of　the　moon；　we　must　say　that　it　is　in　its
〃aposelene〃　at　its　farthest　point；　and　in　its　〃periselene〃　at
its　nearest。　　In　the　latter　case；　the　projectile　would　attain
its　maximum　of　speed；　and　in　the　former　its　minimum。　　It　was
evidently　moving　toward　its　aposelenitical　point；　and　Barbicane
had　reason　to　think　that　its　speed　would　decrease　up　to　this
point；　and　then　increase　by　degrees　as　it　neared　the　moon。
This　speed　would　even　become　_nil_；　if　this　point　joined　that　of
equal　attraction。　　Barbicane　studied　the　consequences　of　these
different　situations；　and　thinking　what　inference　he　could　draw
from　them；　when　he　was　roughly　disturbed　by　a　cry　from　Michel　Ardan。

〃By　Jove！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃I　must　admit　we　are　down…right　simpletons！〃

〃I　do　not　say　we　are　not；〃　replied　Barbicane；　〃but　why？〃

〃Because　we　have　a　very　simple　means　of　checking　this　speed
which　is　bearing　us　from　the　moon；　and　we　do　not　use　it！〃

〃And　what　is　the　means？〃

〃To　use　the　recoil　contained　in　our　rockets。〃

〃Done！〃　said　Nicholl。

〃We　have　not　used　this　force　yet；〃　said　Barbicane；　〃it　is　true；
but　we　will　do　so。〃

〃When？〃　asked　Michel。

〃When　the　time　comes。　　Observe；　my　friends；　that　in　the　position
occupied　by　the　projectile；　an　oblique　position　with　regard　to
the　lunar　disc；　our　rockets；　in　slightly　altering　its　direction；
might　turn　it　from　the　moon　instead　of　drawing　it　nearer？〃

〃Just　so；〃　replied　Michel。

〃Let　us　wait；　then。　　By　some　inexplicable　influence；　the
projectile　is　turning　its　base　toward　the　earth。　　It　is　probable
that　at　the　point　of　equal　attraction；　its　conical　cap　will　be
directed　rigidly　toward　the　moon；　at　that　moment　we　may　hope
that　its　speed　will　be　_nil_；　then　will　be　the　moment　to　act；
and　with　the　influence　of　our　rockets　we　may　perhaps
provoke　a　fall　directly　on　the　surface　of　the　lunar　disc。〃

〃Bravo！〃　said　Michel。　　〃What　we　did　not　do；　what　we　could　not　do
on　our　first　passage　at　the　dead　point；　because　the　projectile
was　then　endowed　with　too　great　a　speed。〃

〃Very　well　reasoned；〃　said　Nicholl。

〃Let　us　wait　patiently；〃　continued　Barbicane。　　〃Putting　every
chance　on　our　side；　and　after　having　so　much　despaired；　I　may
say　I　think　we　shall　gain　our　end。〃

This　conclusion　was　a　signal　for　Michel　Ardan's　hips　and　hurrahs。
And　none　of　the　audacious　boobies　remembered　the　question　that
they　themselves　had　solved　in　the　negative。　　No！　the　moon　is　not
inhabited；　no！　the　moon　is　probably　not　habitable。　　And　yet　they
were　going　to　try　everything　to　reach　her。

One　single　question　remained　to　be　solved。　　At　what　precise
moment　the　projectile　would　reach　the　point　of　equal　attraction；
on　which　the　travelers　must　play　their　last　card。　In　order　to
calculate　this　to　within　a　few　seconds；　Barbicane　had　only　to
refer　to　his　notes；　and　to　reckon　the　different　heights　taken　on
the　lunar　parallels。　　Thus　the　time　necessary　to　travel　over　the
distance　between　the　dead　point　and　the　south　pole　would　be　equal
to　the　distance　separating　the　north　pole　from　the　dead　point。
The　hours　representing　the　time　traveled　over　were　carefully
noted；　and　the　calculation　was　easy。　　Barbicane　found　that　this
point　would　be　reached　at　one　in　the　morning　on　the　night　of　the
7th…8th　of　December。　　So　that；　if　nothing　interfered　with　its
course；　it　would　reach　the　given　point　in　twenty…two　hours。

The　rockets　had　primarily　been　placed　to　check　the　fall　of　the
projectile　upon　the　moon；　and　now　they　were　going　to　employ　them
for　a　directly　contrary　purpose。　　In　any　case　they　were　ready；
and　they　had　only　to　wait　for　the　moment　to　set　fire　to　them。

〃Since　there　is　nothing　else　to　be　done；〃　said　Nicholl；　〃I　make
a　proposition。〃

〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Barbicane。

〃I　propose　to　go　to　sleep。〃

〃What　a　motion！〃　exclaimed　Michel　Ardan。

〃It　is　forty　hours　since　we　closed　our　eyes；〃　said　Nicholl。
〃Some　hours　of　sleep　will　restore　our　strength。〃

〃Never；〃　interrupted　Michel。

〃Well；〃　continued　Nicholl；　〃every　one　to　his　taste；　I　shall　go
to　sleep。〃　　And　stretching　himself　on　the　divan；　he　soon　snored
like　a　forty…eight　pounder。

〃That　Nicholl　has　a　good　deal　of　sense；〃　said　Barbicane；
〃presently　I　shall　follow　his　example。〃　　Some　moments　after　his
continued　bass　supported　the　captain's　baritone。

〃Certainly；〃　said　Michel　Ardan；　finding　himself　alone；　〃these
practical　people　have　sometimes　most　opportune　ideas。〃

And　with　his　long　legs　stretched　out；　and　his　great　arms　folded
under　his　head；　Michel　slept　in　his　turn。

But　this　sleep　could　be　neither　peaceful　nor　lasting；　the　minds
of　these　three　men　were　too　much　occupied；　and　some　hours　after；
about　seven　in　the　morning；　all　three　were　on　foot　at　the　same　instant。

The　projectile　was　still　leaving　the　moon；　and　turning　its
conical　part　more　and　more　toward　her。

An　explicable　phenomenon；　but　one　which　happily　served
Barbicane's　ends。

Seventeen　hours　more；　and　the　moment　for　action　would　have　arrived。

The　day　seemed　long。　　However　bold　the　travelers　might　be；　they
were　greatly　impressed　by　the　approach　of　that　moment　which
would　decide　all　either　precipitate　their　fall　on　to　the　moon；
or　forever　chain　them　in　an　immutable　orbit。　　They　counted　the
hours　as　they　passed　too　slow　for　their　wish；　Barbicane　and
Nicholl　were　obstinately　plunged　in　their　calculations；　Michel
going　and　coming　between　the　narrow　walls；　and　watching　that
impassive　moon　with　a　longing　eye。

At　times　recollections　of　the　earth　crossed　their　minds。　　They　saw
once　more　their　friends　of　the　Gun　Club；　and　the　dearest　of　all；
J。　T。　Maston。　　At　that　moment；　the　honorable　secretary　must　be
filling　his　post　on　the　Rocky　Mountains。　　If　he　could　see　the
projectile　through　the　glass　of　his　gigantic　telescope；　what
would　he　think？　　After　seeing　it　disappear　behind　the　moon's
south　pole；　he　would　see　them　reappear　by　the　north　pole！
They　must　therefore　be　a　satellite　of　a　satellite！　　Had　J。　T。
Maston　given　this　unexpected　news　to　the　world？　　Was　this　the
_denouement_　of　this　great　enterprise？

But　the　day　passed　without　incident。　　The　terrestrial
midnight　arrived。　　The　8th　of　December　was　beginning。
One　hour　more；　and　the　point　of　equal　attraction　would
be　reached。　　What　speed　would　then　animate　the　projectile？
They　could　not　estimate　it。　　But　no　error　could　vitiate
Barbicane's　calculations。　　At　one　in　the　morning　this　speed
ought　to　be　and　would